Like steel
by cheeselord
Summary: In the middle of a battle toph falls of the boat and aang is the only one to notice and dive to help her but only ends alone in a desert island with an angry earth bender. Could they solve their differences? [Taang]The summary may suck but please read!
1. Prologue

* * *

It was perfect, just perfect. It wasn't enough to have a storm in the middle of the ocean and no island nearby but they had to have a fire nation battle ship in their backs.

"Perfect" thought Toph "Its officially the worst day in my life" and she shoot another rock to the flaming projectile heading towards her.

Then the enemy ship put herself side to side with them and some soldiers started boarding.

"Kicking some asses will help" and immediately a sissy scream was heard as some fire bender dropped in the water.

They were outnumbered but numbers were noting it only make it more fun. All pointed that they were winning, she "saw" how katara wiped 3 soldiers at the same time while Sokka fought fiercely with the enemy general and Aang, well, she didn't see what he was doing; surely an air fight. And then it hit her, something she couldn't feel among the confusion, a dart and when she realized it was too late. She felt numb and her feet didn't move.

"Well I was wrong, now this is the WORST DAY IN MY LIFE" then she saw a fire bender pointing to her and shooting. Unable to move she just took fully the strike and fell off the ship into the ocean, proving her wrong again. "Luky me" she thought in a sarcastic tone.

"So this is the end?" the air was now missing and her left arm aching "This pitiful end for the greatest earth bender ever!?" Now she was shocking "What a shitty final" she thought as her eyes started to close.

Aang POV

He was jumping from one place to another, blowing off the ship as many soldiers he could but for each one he defeated 3 more appeared out of nowhere. It was endless. Then he flew over the ship, just to watch the overall battle and look out for his friends. Sokka looked pretty exited using his "almighty" boomerang and Katara was fine whipping the ass of the enemies. And where was Toph? After 5 seconds he spotted her but something was weird, she was like hurt it was strange indeed. And then a fireball strokes her fully in her left arm. Now he started to really freak out, then she fell into the ocean. Now he was fully freaked out.

"TOPH!!!" he screamed but she didn't even floated out of water "This is bad, REALLY BAD"

And he dived into the water to save his drowning friend.

* * *

** Well this is my first fan fic so review and share ideas. I hope you like it **


	2. Piggyback

**The toph POV looks like the same of Aang but they are diferent. I swear to God¡¡¡ Ah, and let me know your opinion **

* * *

_Aang POV_

"NO WAY, MOMO AND APPA¡¡¡" I woke up sweating and somehow scared.

It was the weirdest dream ever and it was pretty confusing, all I wanted to do was rest in the soft sand that I felt under my body. Where was this place? My head ached and I was pretty torn up. Then I remembered. Being left behind by the ship in the growing confusion, the storm, Toph hurt , the fire benders…… TOPH, I almost forget her. I looked all over the place and saw her corpse that just lay down in the beach. Now this wasn't good. I run towards her. She was just there so calm, I checked her breathing. Nothing, and then my brain just slap and I started running in circles.

"This is not possible, YOU GOTTA BE JOK..." I just remembered something Sokka told me that draw some consciousness, something about how to treat a person that was drowned. He said something like, like….. SLAP, there goes my brain again.

"LIKE HELL I WILL GIVE HER MOUTH TO MOUTH BREATHING¡¡¡" I would just rip my hair off if it wasn't that weak and well, I was starting to like it. After this episode of madness I started evaluating pros and contras sitting next to her. I had to think fast.

"Well, she is my friend" and I just cut the distance between our lips "But Im too young, but she could die, but I don't want, but were would I find a better earth bender master and plus I would loose a very close friend forever and….." In this part of my reflexion I was less than 2 inches apart of her. "Well, all for the sake of life and friendship" The distance grew closer, I was red like an apple and I was just resigned for the next thing to come.

Then I felt something slap my forehead and drove me apart.

"Not even in your wildest dreams Twinkletoes"

Now I was running wildly in circles not because I was crazy. I was very happy Toph was ok. Then I heard an "Ouch" It didn't come from my mouth but of Toph's. She was holding stiff her left arm and wasn't looking good and I remembered the fire ball.

"Are you ok, Toph?"

"Just a scratch nothing more"

"Sure?"

"Im sure pretty sure twinkletoes that OUCH¡¡¡"

"It looks bad"

"Im fine, ALRIGHT"

She was starting to get mad so I let her be. Toph could be cranky when she wanted

"Ok, if you say so, I will search for shelter. Want to come?"

"Sure thing"

And I started walking the other way looking for a house or a cave or even some good spot to rest. I was almost 20 meters away when her voice called for me.

"AANG¡"

"WHAT"

"COME HERE"

"WHY, WHAT HAPPENED?"

"JUST COME"

It was starting to get into my nerves but I had to go, after all she was my friend and I wouldn't change her way of being for nothing in the world.

"What now?"

"Well, hummm, it's just, that I ..."

"Well?" she mumbled something my ear didn't catch. "What did you said?" It was strange that the always noisy Toph mumbled and instead of looking very open she looked ratter shy. "I didn't heard could you please said it more loudly"

"I said that I ……"

"Eh?"

"That I ……"

"I'm not catching it well"

"THAT I NEEDED YOU HELP, OK¡¡¡"

It pierced me like a knife. The almighty Toph, the independent and mature girl, asking for help? Now Appa in a wedding dress and Momo in a smoking didn't sounded so bad. But it wasn't motive of laugh. It was just like the twilight zone.

"You need help, well it is very rare" I sounded just like Sokka; very sarcastic.

I just slapped the crap out of my self in my mind. Toph was a little cranky with the subject and I just made it worst. The only thing left was stand there, closing my eyes and waiting for a big rock leaving me like a stomp bug. But nothing happened. Slowly I opened my eyes but there was Toph, in the same place, head down and…..sad.

"What is the problem" Now this could be serious.

"I-I cant move my legs, actually I cant move well my arms."

I start thinking about a solution. Anything that helped Toph to get on her feet was acceptable but nothing came into my mind. Suddenly the day became gray and I saw some storm clouds were heading toward us, I had to move her to shelter and there was only one and only one way. I had to carry her. The picture of Toph getting mad at me for bending her wan't the "cutest" thing in the world and nobody want an angry Toph, I was sure of that. So I jus kneeled to the ground level and offered her my back.

"W-What are you doing¡¡¡??"

"I will carry you"

"NO WAY¡¡¡¡" That was certainly better reaction than a stone squashing my head

"There is no other way"

She thought it a while and seemed to watch a point in my idea. But the proud make her delay her answer and I was growing tired of kneeling there and waiting.

"So, what do you choose?"

"You win twinkletoes, I feel a cave in that mountain" she pointed inner land to what seemed like a small hole far away "I will go piggyback to where the shelter is, but if say a single word about this consider yourself no better than dead meat" And then she accommodated in my back in the best manner possible.

She was surprisly very warm and soft and it was very unusual, strange but pleasant. I blushed again, I was never so close to a girl like this and not to mention Toph, it was very odd "I must be dreaming" I said to my self and I think this is the first time I'm glad she is blind. And piggyback we head to the cave.

* * *

_Toph POV_

Why was he so close to my face? I just woke up and there he was, invading my personal space and trying, trying to …….kiss me? No it wasn't possible maybe it was a crap of those first aid things or a really bad dream. But like if I care.

"Not even in your wildest dreams Twinkletoes"

I slapped him on the forehead but my right arm feel numb and my left shoulder acked like hell and he seemed to note it.

"Are you ok, Toph?"

"Just a scratch nothing more"

"Sure?"

"Im sure pretty sure twinkletoes that OUCH¡¡¡" OK, I just blew my cover

"It looks bad"

"Im fine, ALRIGHT"

He started to piss me off but he was right, it hurt and no, I wasn't ok. But I didn't want him to know, he didn't need to know.

"Ok, if you say so, I will search for shelter. Want to come?" his voice called me

"Sure thing" Finally he leaves me alone

But there was just a tiny, tiny problem; I, for some reason couldn't move my legs. I tried and tried but all in vain. For the time I realized this he was almost 20 meters away, if I didn't stop him the airhead would leave me behind so I called for him.

"AANG¡"

"WHAT"

"COME HERE"

"WHY, WHAT HAPPENED?"

"JUST COME"

It was stressing not being able to move and not to mention a big problem and for more that I would like to keep it as a secret but he had to know my situation

"What now?"

"Well, hummm, it's just, that I ..." It was harder to do it than to do it

"Well?"

"I said that I ……" crap it was very hard

"Eh?"

"That I ……" He was breaking my nerves. How many times I had to repeat myself, is he deaf or something?

"I'm not catching it well"

"THAT I NEED YOU HELP, OK¡¡¡"

I just exploded and he was the fault, he and his clueless, full of air mind

"You need help, well it is very rare"

He sounded very sarcastic, like if he despised me or something and for some reason it hurt me. I didn't choose to be hurt so why he talked to me like that? It was very depressing and not to mention extrange, the fact that I needed his help and it was harder to say out loud. And now he was making fun of me?

"What is the problem" his voice was more concerned, this time it was for real.

"I-I cant move my legs, actually I cant move well my arms."

He stayed quiet and thinking; looking very concerned. I took advantage of the situation and looked for a suitable shelter, it isn't that I hate sleeping on earth, it was this damn sand that made all fussy. It didn't took me long to find a cave in a nearby mountain, then something, aside of the fireball, took me off guard, the unthinkable happened. He offered me his back. What made him think that I was in such despair?

"W-What are you doing¡¡¡??"

"I will carry you"

"NO WAY¡¡¡¡" It was a shame to travel like that and I wasn't the all helpless girl everyone thinks I'm, at least, I can walk on my own.

"There is no other way"

I thought it, sure it was other way. Staying here, bending me with air will just piss me off and scare the hell out of me. But it was cold and I heard a thunder ragging in the distance; another storm was coming. Getting all soaked and cold or have a suitable and well earned sleep? The answer was pretty obious. Whatever, it was just this time.

"So, what do you decide?"

"You win twinkletoes, I feel a cave in that mountain" I pointed inner land to the cave "I will go piggyback to where the shelter is, but if say a single word about this consider yourself no better than dead meat" And then I accommodated in his back.

Altought my burned was hurting like hell I didn't say a thing, surely we would arrive to the cave soon and there a good rest waited me. He lifted me with ease and very easily, he was, after all, a very strong for a kid of our age and even if I regret it later I have to accept that he smelled nice, like autumn or like a fresh breeze of spring. It was very gentle and relaxing so I just enjoyed the ride, blushing a little because he was closest to me, too much for my taste, not mentioning that he was actually carring me, but it was fine. And piggyback we head to the cave.


	3. Alone

**Here is anew chapter. Please forgive the grammar errors but im actually in search of a beta-reader or something that help me out with this prob.  
**

* * *

Alone 

Toph smiled, but it was a sad smile indeed. All her life she tried to prove them wrong and yet she lied there, helpless, and weak. She was holding down the tears but it felt so sad that she couldn't and she started sobbing. The thunder raged outside and then the rain started to fall down.

"_How did I got in this mess" _thought to herself but there was no use of thinking. She just cried, for the frustration, for the anger, for the pain and for the hole in her soul. She hated that feeling but she just kept crying unable to stop it, to fill it. All this thime it was there so why in that precise moment it felt uncontrolable.A laugh echoed trough the cave, now she was laughing in the middle of her tears, laughing of the bad joke in which she was the main character; she couldn't take that anymore, she just cracked. Nothing mattered anymore, she was broken, and she continued to lament, not knowing how to stop, not knowing that a certain air bender looked her in the entrance of that cold and humid cave with a sad look and the rain hitting his back.

_Flashback_

He just drop down Toph the gentlest way possible, they made it to the cave but barely so he rested on the wall next to his friend. He just wanted to sleep and was almost achieved his goal when a noise called his attention. A grumble and yes it came from his stomach. All the hard work and being tired made him forgot of the need to feed himself. So he gathered all his energy and will to stand up and head towards the exit.

"Where are you going?"

"Well, to found some food and water"

Another grumble echoed through the cave and this time it was coming from Toph.

"Mind to bring me something Twinkletoes"

"_Whatever_" He thought "_I was going out so it should be fine"_

"OK just stay here"

"Too bad, I was thinking in doing some exercising" She said in a sarcastic tone

"Right, sorry for that"

"Never mind just return quickly"

"_That sounded a little concerned…. Hold on. Toph worried. Things were getting stranger every time"_ A little blush appeared. What? It felt nice to be taken in consideration, he justified himself and Toph seemed to note this light change in him.

"I am hungry so hurry" She clarified.

"Ok I'm going" Right she was hungry, nothing more. But why it was a little disappointing?

Just when he was out of her "sight" she felt more relaxed and free. She had been holding her feelings all the time. It was her rule; she said it plenty of times. Be hard in the outside and in the inside. Right now it was miles away from reality. She just was all beaten up and felt like suffocating. It wasn't pleasant. She didn't know how much time passed away but the feeling didn't disappeared and what was worse, it only increased and it didin't came from her burned shoulder. She tried to forget about that, to make it go away like other times but it was pretty stubborn, the aching left shoulder and the inhability to move assured that it wouldn't be easy to let it go, they reamined her the frustation. She couldn't hold it more.

_End of flashback _

I just stared at Toph not knowing what to do. I had been always the one to be comforted but I didn't know how to cheer some one up, especially her. It felt like crap. In the time of more need I didn't had the guts to help; it was like that 100 years ago so I had to decide between a bad try of comforting her (and ending dead...at least) and leaving her alone with her feelings the second where the most reasonable. Trying to not make a single sound I left then the roots and fruits in the entrance with some wood to make a fire and set going right through the pouring rain. It hurt, looking Toph like that hurt me and the need of escaping to another place, avoiding by all cost the scene took over me. I walked away to be alone and clear my mind.

After some time It was determined; the time to go back to the cave was now, I wasn't going to run anymore. I had to confront it and do my best to cheer her up, it was the only way out of this or ending under a boulder. Then the cave appeared infront of me, "Glup"; I could swear to god that I was more far away from the cave than this, but the decision was made, there was not turning back.

"Try your best and also try to not end, _glup_, death" It was the time of truth and praying she was in a better moodi entered the cave.

"Toph, Toph where are you?" It was pretty dark and I couldn't saw a thing, not even my own hand in front of my face.

After not getting response for a while I grew worried. After all she was Toph and she would deny it but to me that burn in her left arm looked pretty ugly. "Toph please answer" Then again not response.

I slapped my forehead "Of course, the wood" I reached the entrance for some good and dry piece of wood. "Great now what" Now how will I fire it? Fire bend was the solution although, I was a little insecure at the beginning but it was for the best and something kept telling that I could make it right this time, it have to be good. I took it slowly and ended with a big smile crossing my face when it finally lighted a little the dark cave. Now to search my friend.

I saw Toph laying in the wall, just how I left her and she wasn't moving at all. It was a relief that it was something less severe than the time in the beach and it didnt required something as mouth to mouth breathing. She was just sleeping. I lighted a fire close to her, after all it was cold and then looked at her wound: it had to be nursed right now or she and her ego will never let me do it. There was plenty of water to heal her but I was inexperienced in water healing. So with crossed fingers and praying that it worked I started to bend the water. My face light up when the wound started to disappear; it wasn't perfect but screams and footsteps of joy where heard all over the place, well at least in my head, Toph - less sleep time angry Toph .It was for certainly a situation that was out of the discussion and only a whispered "Yes!" was heard. I rested in the wall next to her and ate something, it had been a heavy day and all my bodie weighed like 10 tons. A quick glance of her was enough to be sure she was right and not willing to kick me to the other side of the cave. She was rater cute right now, like a sleeping beast or something like that. "_She is like steel" _I thought _"Sometimes hard and cold but if you warmed it a little it would reveal it is pretty soft and need someone to be guiding it to take a shape. Maybe that's why she could bend it."_ Some how it managed to give me goosebumps; something of that didn't sound right but it wasn't important at all. Even though the wall was hard, it was pretty comfortable to lay there near the fire and a good friend. A smile crossed my face. It could be worse, I could be alone in I don't know where with a bunch of fire benders in my back pounching fire balls out of their fist. Then everything when blank as my breathing started to slow down and I took the well deserved and needed rest with a big smile in my face and the feeling of happiness because she was right next to me. Because I wasn't alone

* * *

**I know Toph dosent sound like Toph (And maybe aang too) but i try to show a diferent side of them. Please let me know your opinion about this story  
**


	4. Why?

_There it is another chapter. Hope you like it _

* * *

_Aang POV_

The sun warmed my face as I started to wake up but I didn't want to wake up. It was the best sleep I got in months or even in years, or centuries, although the rock in which I lay was cold and hard it was pretty comfortable and that had something to do with the soft warm and comfy pillow in which my head was laying.

"_Just five minutes more__ and I will wake up... Hold it down, a pillow? Where did I got a pi..llo…w?"_ Now all the magic was lost and all the dreaming thing was forget for good. "_It didn't is what I think. Right?"_

I started to open my eyes, just one to "peek" on what was underneath; bad idea. An overwhelming fear took me over as I saw in which I lay: Toph and to be more precise I was on top of Toph chest.

"_This cant be happening to me, this has to be a dream"_ but unfortunately it was real, too real to be a dream. "_Need to move fast, quietly and fast"_

And with eyes wide opened, sweating coming out of my forehead and the nerves making all my body stiff I commenced to move, one step by a time, slowly and the quietest possible to not wake her up: even the bravest or dumbest person on earth wouldn't want to be found in that position with that certain person. It was going perfectly until I was half the way. No one would ever think that a small drop of sweat was the line between living and dying but it was exactly what it meant in that instant. My hands were pretty busy holding me up in a push up stance and it was out of the question using them, all that is left are 2 choices, this thing of choices were starting to become very unpleaseant. Making a movement fast enough that Toph will perceive it and risk her to wake up and maybe, just maybe notice what happened or just air bend it away and risking to be found in this uncommon situation. Well it was pretty obvious that the first one was the safest and easiest. But then again something unexpected occurred. My arms muscles, stiff for all the hard work yesterday, were shaking madly and before I could do my move the drop fell like in slow motion camera into the bare skin of her left shoulder.

"_Please__ if there is a god or someone watching over me please, PLEASE, don't let her wake up¡" _

It only lasted seconds but it seemed like centuries as she moved a little and grumbled something about winning something, but she was still sleep.

"_Uf that was close" _and I cleaned the left sweat drops with my right arm. _"Hold on, if my right hand is here. What is holding me up?" _this wasn't a very bright idea, wasn't it? _ "Damn" _And a thumb was heard when my head in free fall make contact with her….well, you know. It was unavoidable, even with an inhuman speed she would notice.

"What's going on??"

"_My life was good, although very short"_

"TWINKLETOES¡¡¡¡"

I crawled to the opposite wall hoping that it wouldn't end with me death.

"_I regret nothing"_

"YOU ARE SOO DEAD¡¡¡¡" it was like seeing one mad dragon waking up. It was the end, MY end

"_I'm sorry Katara, Sokka, Momo and Appa. It would be nice to saw you a last time"_

And I accepted the destiny with eyes closed and my arms in front of my face. Not a very brave stance, if you ask.

"_Let it be fast and painless"_

Then a strong noise was heard and the walls back trembled but there were no pain.

"_I thought it would be more painful" _

For my surprise I was alive and in one piece, a big and pointy stone just fixed in the wall pretty close to my head and Toph laying in the ground. I didn't understand the situation right away and the confusion gave Toph enough time to stand up once again.

"CONSIDER YOURSELF ALREADY IN THE SPIRIT WORLD¡¡¡"

There she goes again, attacking me with a just new bended, bigger and sharper rock. But just when I tough I was seriously dying she just made a numb movement, then the rock missed again; thanks to the spirits, and she fell back in her butt. Why? I had heard that when the fire nation wanted prisoners they would use some type of poison that kept the prisoners numb and weak for them to be more easily handed and questioned.

"_So she's still numb. SOME ONE WAS REALLY WATCHING ME¡¡¡" _

A happy and quickly grin was reflected in my face. It was perfect, I could live yet another day and she would be numb enough time to cool down…. I expect. And she was back to herself. I wanted to avoid the topic but it wouldn't just leave, the image of she crying was carved with fire in my mind.

"Are you ok" Why I ask that? Of course she wasn't right.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING ON TOP OF ME¡¡¡¡" A red-faced Toph asked from the ground and looking pretty upset and in some sort of a way cute. When she got that cute?

SLAP _"Get a hold of yourself Aang" _another "slap" was heard in my mind as I imagined me spanking my face. It wasn't the time for that.

"ANSWER¡¡¡¡" Now there was a pointing finger in my face. How she was able to stand up so fast?

"It was an accident, alright"

"THAT IS JUST A CRAPPY EXCUSE TWINKLE TOES¡¡¡" And yet again another sharp stone surged out of nowhere, most of least; it just cracked as the others and she fell again.

"You shouldn't make such an effort Toph" Concerned, ME, for her? Actually I was

"JUST SHUT UP¡¡¡¡" a clear sound of teeth grinding was heard as she seated cross legged in the floor. Obviously in result of the frustration of not being able to actually crush me into the ground, which I was really happy of.

"Ok" it was only a whisper.

And for the next minutes we didn't talk, it was indeed an odd silence. I just leaved the cave and the food I recollected the night before and went in the search of more supplies, just in case and for let her cool down and talk about that little thing that happened yesterday, after all I was decided to come to the bottom of the issue, even if it was unpleasant or dangerous.

"_I only hope my luck isn't depleted" _

_Toph POV _

"_Damn twinkletoes. Who the hell he thinks he is laying in me, IN MY CHEST? Just wait for me to recover and you will pay"_ The thinking of a vengeance swarmed as I let fly my imagination.

"_I will wait for the dawn and when he goes to sleep__…." _Finally found the perfect prank after some considerable time of breaking my head of thinking or so I thought "_CRACK" _A rock cracked in my fist, my LEFT fist and it didn't ache.

I remembered my wounded left shoulder and the pain every time I moved it, but why it didn't hurt this time. My hand caressed the place were my wound was made and there it was….nothing, not even a scar. It felt good to actually being able to move, well more or less, and not to feel the aching in every nerve of my corpse and it was his doing. He could be nice when he wanted.

"_That's a point in your favor, but don't think that I will spare you"_

Laying down and head resting in my arms the thinking continued but the harder I tried to make a plot for revenge harder it got to get mad at him. After all he was right, yesterday was a tiresome day, more for him than to me and, well, accidents happen. No? My finger started poking my nose. And the feeling of his warm by my side was kind of relaxing.

"_I wasn't so bad__ his head laying in top of me and…_" WHAT THE HELL I WAS THINKING¡¡¡

Now I was stand and walking in circles, pretty much confused of what I just tell. Right it wasn't hell but, good? "Thumb, thumb" my forehead started to get a little red after hitting it for the thousand time against the wall. I was sure that I looked just like Sokka. Tired of it and head aching I sited cross legged in the floor, my mind cleared, some snacks in hand and then that feeling returned. It was like being hollow or broken, it didn't left at all after yesterday and now that I was calm it returned. At least it left when I was with someone but now there was no one around and it started to grow. It started as a little stone in my shoe or better said in my foot but after yesterday it grew to a mountain size and it was impossible to avoid. Something was missing, something I didn't know and it started to get over me. It would have already left me if I were with Katara or Sokka or even momo and Appa….or him. After all when he was here I didn't even remembered but he wasn't something especial, no. Even with a killer, psychopath fire bender as company the feeling disappeared, but, he always cared for his friends and it didn't mattered that I blushed a little. He cared for me too.

"Ok, I admit it wasn't so bad" I thought aloud

"What wasn't so bad?" a familiar voice asked.

Since when he was there watching, how much he understated of and why in the freaking world I think it would be cool to say it aloud? I just felt like hitting my forehead against the wall once more. And that's what I did.

_Aang POV_

With the sun light of the new day it was easiest to recollect more food than yesterday and I got full pretty fast. Now to go back to the cave and …Toph.

"It isn't going to be pleasant"

I walked and walked and walked through the wood in the island trying to avoid the topic, but it still was in my head. And that inner voice didn't help

**"_Toph is very soft and warm"_**

"_Soft and warm? She is not an object, she is a human; she is my friend"_

**"_But sure you enjoyed the "pillow isn't it"_**

"_Well that's right she was…. STOP IT. She is my friend not a bed"_

_"_**_But sure she is cute, in her own way"_**

"_That I cannot deny. I never saw Toph sooo red, it was kind of funny and cute but I fear it will cost my life"_

**_"__It was worth it"_**

"_Why I'm having this discussion and why I'm talking to myself like this. I must be crazy and…."_

"Splash" I fell into some kind of pond and now I was all soaked; soaked but clear minded.

"_Never saw it coming"_

It was hot and comfortable and by luck the mayor part of the supplies didn't fell into water with me. It was perfect, like a SPA or something like that and I wouldn't stay in there, even if wanted the rest that bad, but I had to continue. One because I had to deliver the supplies to the cave and second, because for more comfortable it was I was still dressed. With a water bender technique my clothes were dry in a blink of an eye and some air bending helped me getting all the stuff quick. Sometimes being the avatar had its pros.

"_It doesn't need to be all boring while we are here" _the hot spring disappearing in the wood behind"_And seriously I think Toph needs a good bath I should tell her about this "bath" thing" _

And once again the cave appeared in front of me. I was starting to think it is some kind of magic cave or a mystical place because every time I came back it felt like it just appeared out of nowhere; anyway it was time for the trial of fire.

"_Glup, here I come"_

And with a steady step, better said it was like sneaking into the place that could become my grave. Hoping only she would let that little incident slip her mind otherwise the avatar and the final hope of the world would end six feet under.

"Ok, I admit it wasn't so bad"

"What wasn't so bad?" I just replied to the familiar voice almost as a reflex. "_Now I done it, I have revealed my position"_ It wasn't a battle field or it was?

But nothing happened, not even a single rock or a punch or even a sarcastic welcome; it only was a small girl, hitting her forehead with the closest wall. She looked pretty much like sokka.

"Toph, what are you doing"

"A cocktail. What does it seem?" Sarcastic as always, it was a good sign

"No, not that but why are you hitting your forehead"

"Because I want to. Do you have a problem?"

The hitting stopped and she saw me with her green sea foam eyes. They were something I always felt amazed of seeing, no one I ever knew had that color of pale green, although I knew the reason why, they still were pretty.

"No" an odd silence followed "Say, do you wanna see something cool"

"Are you making fun of me twinkle toes?"

"N-no it is nothing like that"

"Ok"

"What?"

"I said I will go, anything is better than being here, boring"

"Ok just follow"

Unconsciously I grabbed her hand and lead her into the woods.

_Toph POV_

Perfect, he didn't saw much and better: that odd feeling disappeared once again. But, where are we going? What is this cool stuff? I expect it isn't just a joke and why I just got a little nervous when he grabbed my hand?

* * *

Please review PLEASE FOR GOD SAKE¡¡¡¡¡ Ah and thanks for reading 


	5. I'm here

Here is the next chapter. It has hard to do but it's good, at least for me. Thanks for all the reviews, they are pretty encouraging so please review. hope you like it.

* * *

_I'm here: _

So relaxing, alter all the trouble of finding the water spring again, the "Let's kill Aang" incident and the long walk made the water felt so nice around my tired muscles. It was warm and calm but there was something, no, some one missing.

"TOPH¡¡" I shout to the distant figure out of water and started to swim towards it "AREN'T YOU GOING TO BATH TOO?"

"Stop the screaming or you wanna leave me deaf too¡¡"

"Ok, sorry, but aren't you going to get in the water"

"Not this time twinkletoes" She sit in a rock nearby the water and me

"Aww, why not?"

"I just don't want to, any problem?" A little insecurity was able to come out of her words as she crossed her arms and turned her head to evade my glance.

"Well, actually I really think you need one"

"Huh, what make you think that?"

"It isn't for being rude but you actually haven't bathed like for a week now and you smell, well, a little awful and besides the salt of the seawater is attached to your clothes and hair, even to your skin"

"That is not sufficient excuse to make me take a bath"

Now a more indisposed Toph spoke. She was the first to enter a battle but she wasn't able to enter the water? Maybe it was because of me. After all I'm a boy. There was only one way of knowing: Asking.

"But back with Katara you bathed without a problem. It is because of me watching?"

"No it isn't that"

"There is no problem Toph I had seen Katara in her underwear too many times in the water bending lessons"

"I told you that it wasn't the problem, airhead¡¡¡¡"

"Then I fail to see a problem"

"There is no problem"

I scratch my head; it was getting more and more confusing. She wasn't afraid of going into water with Katara and she didn't feel shy enough to show her body, only the necessary, of course. However she evaded the bath and although I'm not a lying detector like her I can know when someone is not telling the truth and right now she is not precisely the most honest person in the world.

"Maybe you don't know how to swim"

"O-Of course I know"

"Then why don't you prove it"

"I…..I just don't want to"

Just in the nail, that was the problem she didn't know how to swim. I smiled a little; after all the pranks she did to me this was pay back time and I was pretty sure it would be satisfactory.

"Accept it twinkletoes, you're not going to get me into the water"

"That's what you think" It was more like a whisper to my self. You know; to enjoy more the moment. What was I talking about? Throwing her to the water, a place she could reach the floor only for seeing how she reacted and in case the worse happened I was there. So it is only a harmless joke. Isn't it?

_Toph POV_

I was still sitting in the rock, hearing something, like a whisper, a strange whisper and then everything went blank. A strong current of air below me told everything. He was going down in the moment my feet touched solid ground, the only problem is that I didn't touched solid ground and instead I landed in water. Panic took me over because I never went trough the trouble of learning how to swim, you know getting into the water was for me like getting into a maze with a blind fold, now I was regretting being that thick head. It resembled the time at the serpent pass. _"Now you did it twinkletoes, you killed your earth bender teacher, bravo"_A small giggle enlighten me from that fussy image I got in the water, then it get stronger, like a laugh. Knowing the source of such laugh and without a minute of thinking I grabbed him because I didn't saw anything more in the moment and perhaps it was my only surviving chance. To tell the truth I was very freaked out to think straight and just followed my instincts of grabbing anything that kept me floating. It was really shameful.

"Toph are you ok?"

I didn't answer. Why he almost killed me? Surly that lighting made him lose his mind. My hands could touch the scar and it looked painful, after all he almost…died.

"Look Toph, I'm sorry it was only a joke, nothing more…" Being sorry wasn't enough; the fear changed to rage and it made me impossible hear the rest of the message.

_Aang POV _

Hilarious, that was the exact word for describing the reaction of Toph flying in the air and now she looked like a fish out of water, or better said an earth bender out of earth; it was well justified after all she WAS an earth bender. _B_etween my laugh I thought_ "When she will realize that it isn't that deep"_ Then a pair of arms grabbed me and the laugh stopped, she was really that scared? I turned my head down to see Toph hugging me tightly. She was shaking a little; maybe I overdo it a little.

"Toph are you ok" but there was no response, she just tighten the hug. It was official; I over do it.

"Look Toph, I'm sorry, it was only a joke, nothing more and besides you can touch the bottom"

Something didn't looked right, in the bad way, although she still grabbed me now she was seeing me directly into the eyes and I could sense a killing instinct.

"A JOKE, NOTHING MORE¡¡¡?? IT WAS SOOO FUNNY I ALMOST DIED¡¡¡¡"

"_Ok you got that right I must think better before doing a joke"_

"EXACTLY WHEN YOU THINK IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO TOSS ME TO THE WATER"

"You said you knew how to swim" Caught ya, didn't?

"Well" From being at killer mode she passed to a more shy conduct "the truth is I don't" She looked rather embarrassed.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I haven't told anyone besides Katara"

"But we are your friends"

"I know, it's just that it is embarrassing"

And the hug grow even tighter to the point she almost leave me without air. Who would know Toph had that brute strength? Beside the fact that I was almost without air it was like one of those romance histories; Toph buried face in my chest and looking so helpless and so close to me. And I blushed, like that time in the beach, it was strange: since when Toph make me feel like I had a headache and the extreme necessity to gave her a hug? It felt good but odd so I decided that it was time for her to let me go.

"Oh, I don't know if it is a good moment but the truth is that you can reach the bottom if you only let me go" She let me go and suddenly I kind of missed her arms holding me.

"Oh, yeah right" and she just scratched her head "Hold on a moment, why didn't you told me about it earlier?" Now the water reached lower her chin and to be honest, it was sort of a funny look but in a cute way.

"I did so, but you were too busy screaming at me that you didn't noticed" It was a lucky day, sort of, first Toph failed to kill me in the morning and now for the first time I won two consecutive discussions.

"Hmp, just tell me were the exit is, because some wise guy throw me to the water with my clothes on"

"Just continue straight"

Now the situation becomes funnier as she walked in a zigzag way with her head only out of water.

"_I almost forgot, she can't see that well in water"_

"Wait you're going deeper, turn to the right"

There it goes again going to the wrong direction.

"No you get it wrong again"

"Mind to tell me the right direction¡¡¡??"

It would take centuries to redirect her to the way we came from and the only way to getting back to the shelter, so I just grabbed her hand, it was the second time in the day I did it and it felt good for some rare reason.

"Come, I will lead"

"Uh, ok"

I never think about this sort of things but now that I analyze it, she has some soft and gentle hands for a kick ass earth bender.

"_She is just too cute for you, isn't her?"_

Perfect timing for that uncommon voice in my head

"_Just go away¡"_

"_I'm only telling the truth"_

"_Even if it was the truth that is to me to decide"_

"Here we are Toph"

"….Thanks"

"_Isn't the cutest and __prettiest thing you ever saw?"_

"_Don't ruin the moment"_

"_Oh I'm not ruining the moment, I'm just telling a fact, just look at her"_

Even it was hard to accept he was right. Toph always used that dresses that make her look boyish and now with her dress all soaked it leaved exposed her girly figure. I was thinking that when she started taking off her clothes and all I could do was turn away as a crimson red covered my face.

"_But__: I have seen Katara in her underwear too many times. What happened with that?"_

"_It is none of your business"_

"_Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say"_ It started to get annoying

"_If you don't stop in this moment I …." _

"Um, Aang could you give me a hand"

A puzzled face was the only thing I could do.

"_She just called me by my name?" _

_Toph POV_

I was getting some trouble in getting in the water, some how it managed to be scaring, just a little, but now I was more than disposed to do some swiming; it was a hot day. My hair went loose and my clothing left drying in the sun. There was just one little and tiny problem. In water I can't see well so Katara was like a guide to me in the water and I stick close to her to know where to step, but in this damn deserted island there was no Katara, there was only him.

"_If it needs to be done then there is not other way"_

The words chocked in my throat, it was embarrassing asking for help but from all the people I had to be it had to be him. Not Katara or Skka, not even Momo, but him. Me, shy? Of course not, it's only that I don't know to say it, that's all.

"Um, Aang could you give me a hand"

Yeah, I know I called him with his name; it was a little unusual but it didn't mattered.

"O-Of course"

"Look, you know I can't see in water"

"Yes"

"So it's logic I need someone to help me, right?"

"I think so"

"So…." I moved my hands in a motion for him to complete the phrase. Nothing came.

"_How can he be such an airhead?"_

"I need someone to guide me in water"

"I know that"

"So?"

"So, what?"

A loud "slap" sounded as my hand makes contact with my forehead. He was clueless

"What I'm saying twinkletoes is that I need you" I pointed were the last sound of his voice echoed "Guide me" now pointing my self "Inside the water" The explanation was slow, like the one that you give to a little boy but it was necessary.

"Oh, why you didn't say that before"

_Slap_You dumb ass.

"Just come straight Toph"

_Why I have the weird feeling that I will die drowned._

"Toph?"

"I'm going, ok?"

Nothing prepared me for the next thing to came, it was the second time in the day and I wasn't happy it was this way that I dived in the hot spring. Another swift current of wind lift me and let me fall into the water and just like the last time, al the images were fussy but I knew I could reach the bottom with my toes.

"You could at least warn¡"

"Got ya" A hand grabbed mine and I blushed a little. I never hold hands with someone like this, it seemed like we were in a picnic day. No one ever looked me as an equal person, to them I'm a little girl in need and every time some one took my hand was for pity, but he is different, he sees me as a person, not like a blind helpless girl. Maybe that's the reason that I followed him, I don't know for certain, the only thing I know is that by his side I feel normal.

"Well twinkle toes, first I will need someplace to sit" What was a bath if I couldn't rest my feet?

"Covered" and too fast for my taste we started to run or better said he started to run pulling me with him.

"Easy twinkle toes; you're going to rip my arm off¡¡¡¡"

"Oh, sorry but we are already here"

His hand guided mine through a rock that resembled a bench. It was perfect but I decided to go easy on him. I could sense he was dying for splashing in the water so I let him be.

"Ok, that's all for now, just don't go too far away"

"Ok"

And the splashing sound started to get weaker and stronger accompanied by giggles. He sure was having fun for swimming one time after other across the spring. I had to accept it, this spring was just as relaxing as the spa I went with Katara. So I washed my self. Suddenly the splashing stopped, what happened?

"Hey Aang, are you still there" Why I was calling him again by his name, it was so, odd.

"Ah, yes I'm still here"

"Ok"

"Toph, I have to talk about something"

He sounded strange. What was the matter with him?

_Aang POV_

I was so fun to swim in the spring without crazy fire benders trying to kill me. Just me and…Toph. By chance my look tripped with her, sitting in the underwater bench, the water covered her to the waist and left exposed the upper part of her body. She was sure pretty and I was glad she couldn't see right now because probably the poison wore off and I would surely die a horrible and painful death.

"_Enjoying the view?"_

Not him again

"_I told you to go"_

"_Look, I know that you don't like me and I don't agree a lot with you but what is to be done?"_

"_Oh by all the spirits" _Me head was looking now to the sky, looking for a way to make it go.

"_Yes boy, by all the spirits. She is a beauty"_

"_Wait, wait, wait. That's Toph you're talking about?"_

"_Who else is here?"_

"_Right, but…"_

"_But? Are you gay or something"_

"_HEY¡¡¡"_

"_Just look at her, so delicate"_

"_Yeah it looks so soft"_

"_And her loose hair"_

"_She looks better like this"_

"_And her gentle movements"_

"_Yeah… Hold on, why I'm agreeing with you¡¡¡¡"_

"_There's a problem in enjoying a little a beautiful girl?"_

He was right, all this time I only saw Toph as a friend more, like Sokka or Bumi, never like Katara, like a girl. Now she was in front of me proving me that she was indeed as girly as Katara. But it didn't explain the blush in my face, the dizzy feeling and the way I was looking her; I just kept not knowing what it was.

"_Enough of enjoying the view boy"_

"_First you tell me all that things and now I am staring too much?"_

"_No, it's not that"_

"_Then what is it?"_

"_You gotta talk her about the other night, when you saw her…crying"_

"_You always ruin the moment"_

"_That's the way of life boy, sometimes a good moment is a short one"_

"_Whatever"_

"Hey, Aang are you still here"

"Ah, yes I'm still here" I will continue that talk later

"Ok"

"Toph, I have to talk about something"

"Hmp?"

"You know, about the other night" My hand scratched the back of my head like if with that the words will flow. Why it was so hard to say?

"Yes?"

"I, well, I was walking and then me, and you and the cave and you were hurt and I and…."

"Hold it; I'm kind of lost here. What the hell are you saying?"

"The thing I want to say is is that, well …"

"Just spit it¡"

"Why were you crying the last night?" I shout my eyes closed as if the words I told her were the same as throwing a stone, a very big stone.

"Y-You were pepping¡¡¡??"

"No, that's not true¡"

"Then what were you doing?"

She sounded strange, her voice a little cut off and she didn't saw me to the face

"I didn't want to see, I just did it"

"Liar"

"What?"

"LIAR, YOU'RE A LIAR¡¡¡¡"

It wasn't the common "angry Toph" shout, it, somehow, sounded like at the verge of crying as she stand up and start walking randomly and away from me.

"_Perfect I just__ made it worse"_

"I'm sorry"

"Just leave"

"But…"

"LEAVE¡¡¡"

I could hear some weak sobs as she walked away

"Toph…."

My head was down; it felt as bad as when the thunder stroke my hearth. She was surely crying and it was my fault. I knew I wasn't good in this thing of talking. The only thing left to do was leave.

"_Don't give up boy"_

"_Oh, so you're here to give me advises now?"_

"_Don't try to be funny, that's Sokka's work"_

"_But what I do now? There is nothing I can do"_

"_Do you prefer leaving her like this, alone and crying?"_

"…_.No"_

"_Then why you doubt?"_

He was right and it wasn't the first time so it sounded smart to follow his advice this time.

"Toph" I made the distance between us shorter

"I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE¡¡¡¡"

She turned around and I was able to see her face. Now she wasn't trying to hold the weeping and the tears were flowing like a water fall and I could see how her chest went up and down holding the sobbing.

"Toph, there is nothing to be ashamed off"

"Shut up"

"Look eve…"

"SHUT UP, SHUT UP. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT FEELS TO LIVE A LIFE TIME OF LIES AND WITHOUT FREEDOM. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT FEELS THAT YOUR WORLD CRUMBLE DOWN JUST AFTER YOU START LIVING YOUR DREAM. YOU CAN'T TELL NOTHING¡¡¡¡¡"

The commentary didn't hurt because of the circumstances; she was hurt, in her soul and she didn't know what those words mean to me. What my life was before I even knew her and even now; the well I understand her feeling. Not always being "the avatar" was a funny stuff. But sometimes you need to express your feelings or they will accumulate and then, at the most little push, you will explode. Maybe the fact of being helpless, just for a moment, was that little push.

"Toph…" She was giving me her back again "TOPH LISENT¡¡¡" there was no other way of making her hear "You're wrong" Now she was at the reach of my hand

"S-So now I-I'm the o-one wrong?" My hand was placed gently in her shoulder trying to calm her sobbing.

"Toph, I understand what it feels, I understand you" I turned her with a delicate spin so I will be able to saw her face to face. "You're not alone"

Now she was crying uncontrollably, like a baby. All I could do was giving her a hug. They were pretty useful in getting someone better and I knew it first hand. Buried face in my chest and wrapped arms around me the crying continued. My right hand held her head close to me, caressing her hair in an attempt to calm Toph.

"It will be ok, I'm here"

_TOPH POV _

"LIAR, YOU'RE A LIAR¡¡¡¡"

Why I was shouting him? He just asked a simple question but now I was all freaked out. Why? Why that hole in my hearth kept growing bigger? I never had real friends, close friends to speak and have fun with and my parents weren't the best pals in town. So why I just screamed the hell out and blamed a friend; a special one, of things he didn't do?

"_Just leave, leave me alone to think"_

"I'm sorry"

"Just leave"

"_GO, GO, GO, DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND I WANT TO BE ALONE? _

"But…"

"LEAVE¡¡¡"

There was no further response of him, but he was still there; I knew.

"Toph…."

The silence made me feel worse, now the idea of being alone; not knowing him still in my house living a double life of lies and tied up: wasn't a good one. I didn't want him to go but at the same time I needed him to do it; to be able to cry; no one judging.

"Toph" He was closer

"I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE¡¡¡¡" It was half hearted, I didn't wanted him to leave me now but all the words I kept saying were offensive ones, the ones that make other people go away and the ones that make you feel regret.

"Toph, there is nothing to be ashamed off"

"Shut up"

"_Just leave me think, clear my mind"_

"Look eve…"

"SHUT UP, SHUT UP. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT FEELS TO LIVE A LIFE TIME OF LIES AND WITHOUT FREEDOM. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT FEELS THAT YOU WORLD CRUMBLES DOWN JUST AFTER YOU START LIVING YOUR DREAM. YOU CAN'T TELL NOTHING¡¡¡¡¡"

Everything just flowed out of my mouth, all the feelings I kept inside me, the things I hated about having that hole in my soul. What missed? Although I was free and traveling with my best friends ever there was something that my soul lacked and it was driving me mad to the point of exploiting.

"Toph…" With a subtle shift I turned my back to him. To me the talk was over "TOPH LISENT¡¡¡" Why has he so stubborn? "You're wrong"

"S-So now I-I'm the o-one wrong?"

"_Perfect, I'm in despair and above all I'm wrong?" _

"Toph, I understand what it feels, I understand you" Then he turned me face to face.

"_No, you don't"_

"You're not alone" and he hugged me

That was it, the words I was looking all my life "_I'm not alone" _and it felt great to actually have somebody to support me. The hole was just filled a little bit, then, why did the tears come flowing through my eyes and face and the sobbing grew to a loud cry? Why the only thing I could do was hug him like if my life depended of it? He wasn't judging me but I knew pretty well how it looked like: A girl stuffing her face in the chest of the rescuing prince and hugging him tightly. I looked helpless, but it didn't mattered, he was holding me and it meant just everything in the moment. No shame or anger, just the countless tears coming out, washing me.

"It will be ok, I'm here"

* * *


	6. Told ya

* * *

She was now walking holding him by the hand letting him guide her. After the scene in the hot spring she was like disconnected from this world, she felt strange and it was not happiness, it was something more, the problem was that she didn't knew what it was. She was trying hard to focus and explain that weird felling in her chest, it wasn't the hole; it was filled, it was something else. It was very odd but after all, she didn't want to stop it, she wanted to enjoy it every second. Suddenly she crashed with his back. 

"What's the problem now?"

Why it felt so natural for her to speak after the thing that happened a few meters behind? Why she didn't even cared about what Aang thought in that moment about her? And more importantly. Why she felt this way near him?

"You're not going to believe me, but maybe we are not he only ones in this island"

Actually she believed him, now she was focused in the real world and she could analyze the environment, it was a camp.

"ANYBOD…. mph¡¡¡??" A hand covered her mouth, Aang hand

"Come, behind that rock"

"mphs grm ift mou?¡¡" Traducing: What's wrong with you?

"Shh, keep it low Toph" and his hand released her mouth

"Ok, now can you tell me the problem?"

"Fire nation"

"Perfect, from all the people to run into we find fire benders¡¡¡"

"Shhh, we don't want to be noticed"

"Don't fool yourself twinkle toes, there is nobody there, I can sense it. Remmember?" She said walking towards the camp

"If you said so" and he followed

Nobody was there, not even a trace that the camp was still being habited. It was abandoned.

"Lets search for interesting stuff" Toph ordered more than proposed

"Ok"

It wasn't so big so it only took a few minutes to investigate all but there was nothing useful. All the things were rotten or oxidized and all was destroyed by the wild animals, everything for an exception; a camping carp, a big one. So Aang entered for a quick look with Toph following his footsteps.

"Found something interesting twinkle toes?"

"Yes, but I think I ratter leave it here"

Most of the sane people would leave it behind. A skeleton sitting in a chair wasn't the most fashionable thing in the world.

"We better get going Toph"

"Hold it a minute, don't be such a sissy"

He started to wander if the normal Toph was better than the hearth broke one. Back in the spring she was so gentle and cute but now she was like always. The direct and boyish Toph was back.

"_Told ya"_

"_Told me what?"_

"_The good moments are sometimes the shorter"_

"_Don't remind me that" _

"Hey check this out"

Now there was something more important than talk with this strange inner voice, thanks to the spirits, something more relaxing. Or so he thought.

_Toph POV_

Now this was interesting, the skeleton held something that resembled a letter or even more important, a map. It could be our ticket out of this island and well I don't think that this guy would care for his stolen map. And maybe I could "see" the surprised face of that airhead. Two birds down with a stone.

"Hey check this out"

"Wha…."

"The spirits had given us a hand from beyond" I was holding the ripped arm of the skeleton that held the letter and tossed it to him, all with the exact proportion of sarcasm and body acting.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THE MEANING OF THIS¡¡¡¡??"

It worked and it worked perfectly.

"Relax twinkle toes, it's just an arm. And since when you curse?

"THAT'S THE PROBLEM; AN ARM, WHY DID YOU RIP HIS ARM OFF¡¡¡?"

"Just look in his hand"

I could tell he was dying to let that arm go but that last word kept him from doing it. So shaking and shaking bad if you ask, he looked at the bony souvenir in his hands.

"It's a letter?"

"Oh yes I saw it from the very start" and my hand passed right in front my face to show him the evident.

"Ah, of course, let me check it out"

He didn't finish the sentence and the arm was in the floor. He was really that scared of a bone? Mental note: Aang is scared of skeletons. It would serve as a new idea to many pranks to come.

"So what it is?"

"It is a map and a letter"

"And what it says?"

Suddenly the vibrations of his body became very tense, like if he just saw a ghost.

"What it says twinkle toes?"

"I'm doomed, there is no way out of this island, this is a trap. No boats have passed through in the five years since I drifted here and the surroundings are a maze of coral reefs and sand banks. There is no way out and I know it, I will no survey for much long, a strange bug bit me and I'm dying. If anyone reads this leatter you better give up hope cause I tried everything and this damn island didn't let me go. There is no way out, this is the end of the road."

"Wow that sounded a little creepy"

"A little, A LITTLE. WERE DOOM TOPH, DOOM TO DIE IN THIS ISLAND JUST LIKE THIS GUY W….." A bended rock hit his head, this was really the "I can do everything" Aang?

"Easy twinkle toes, he was sick and dying already so what's with that? It don't say that we need to die too"

"Thanks"

"Anytime" and I punched hit him gently in his arm, just to tease him. "Well now what we do?"

"Well, it seem a pretty clear day so I think we should camp this time in the beach Just in case this guy was wrong" and we both leaved the camping carp.

"Well if we are going to camp we will need one of this" A shift movement brought down the carp and leaved exposed the skeleton inside it and I could swear in the name of Ozai that Aang lower jaw hit the floor.

"Now we're disrespecting the dead¡¡¡??"

"O common, this guy wouldn't mind to give us some help" I fold the carp meanwhile he complained "Now bring the blankets of his bed, we will need them"

"Whatever, if the spirits search revenge you will be to one blamed"

"The spirits don't need to sleep, so I think they will never notice their bed disappeared"

I was happy, too happy. For some reason I enjoyed teasing Aang since the first day I thought he looked funny and some how…cute?

"_Cute, now I'm the one crazy"_

"_You now he is"_

"_WHAT THE HELL, WHO ARE YOU¡¡¡"_

"_Don't make such a ruckus girl, I was always here but you didn't listened"_

"_So you're some sort of conscience¡?"_

"_If you look it that way"_

"_Well nice meeting you conscience and goodbye"_

There was a strange silence in my head as I walked along with Aang to the beach, only in my head of course because the boy at my side didn't stopped the complaining about robbing the dead ones.

"_It isn't that easy"_

"_Crap, you scared the hell out of me" _And I was sure Aang noticed"_What do you want?"_

"_What it's the thing you want?"_

"_Don't answer me with riddles, I hate riddles. Now ans…."_

"We're here Toph"

"Ah, yes"

"Well let's go to the bay"

_Aang POV_

She was with one foot in the clouds and one in the earth again. What was she thinking now? The ocean breeze and the light of the sun make me thought of other stuff.

"We're here Toph"

"Ah, yes"

"Well let's go to the bay"

"Hell no¡"

"_Oh right the sand"_

"It's just for today"

"No, I refuse"

"_Why she has to be such a thick head?"_

"_Accept it you like her that way"_

"_Well, she is always like that I have no choice" _The sudden appearances of this voice were turning in something very common. "_But I would be thankful if she was a little more open"_

"_You didn't answer my question. You like her that way"_

"_Why I have to answer to you?"_

"_Well, you don't have to"_

"_Then I don't want to"_

I was proud of myself, for the very first time it appeared in my head I had the reason in one of this chats. Now I was more determined to convince Toph.

"Look, it is almost dark and we will go to sleep after we set up the camp, it would be for a short time." And I started to recollect some lumber.

"Short today, but if no ship appears?"

I stopped the recollection, she was right, we didn't know when the first ship would appear and if the ship was willing to receive the avatar with open arms. We could die in that island waiting, like that guy. It give me the creeps.

"Ok, if no ship appears we…." There was a thinking pause

"We what twinkle toes?"

"We will leave the island"

"Oh bright idea why I didn't thought about it earlier" Obvious sarcasm was in her voice

"We will make a boat"

"Right we will make a boat. And were we will go¡¡??"

"To the nearest island"

"And I presume you know were the nearest island is?"

"Yes"

"So why the hell we are still here¡¡¡???"

"Cause we didn't had a map and now we do"

"You got a point there twinkle toes. Ok you win, but only for tonight!"

"Only for tonight"

How good it felt to win argues, I could do it all day and with a shining smile and steady steps we directed to the beach.

"Don't go to far away Aang¡¡"

There goes again, calling me by my name, it felt strange somehow even that she had already called me that way. In the other hand she looked pretty concerned about were did I go and in some way like if she actually cared about my safety.

"_You just keep denying it"_

"_Denying what?" _

"_That y…."_

"Hey, were we are supposed to camp?"

"Rigth here, so I will go for more lumber to make a fire and some food too. Want some?"

"No, I just have the sufficient"

And she took out a little animal in a rock cage. When did she trap it? I didn't care and I didn't want to stay around to see what happened to him. So I left to seek food and more wood. I was in the process of doing it but once again the voice echoed in my head

"_Admit it"_

"_You again?"_

"_I will not leave if you don't say it"_

"_What?"_

"_That you like her"_

"_ME, LIKE HER, YOURE OUT OF YOUR MIND TO SAY SUCH THING¡¡¡¡"_The lumber made a loud "thump" when I let it go. First he says odd things, there is no problem with that, but now he speaks crazy.

"_Oh, it isn't so bad"_

"_The problem is that I don't like her¡¡¡"_

"_You do"_

"_As a friend¡¡¡"_

"_No, as something else"_

"_No I don't¡¡"_

"_Yes you do"_

"_No¡"_

"_Yes"_

"_I said that no¡¡¡"_

This was going to be a long walk.

* * *

_**Latter that night: **_

"Night twinkle toes"

"_Night my love"_

"_Stop that it's no funny¡¡¡"_

"N-Night T-Toph"

I had just finished doing a smaller tent out of the big carp and reusing the cut parts to make a ratter warm bed, it was a cold night to be sleeping outside without anything. And Aang? He was freezing in the cold sand. He was shaking madly, I could sense it and even the fire didn't made a big difference.

"_This was the perfect night to loose you're sleeping bag twinkle toes_"

"Stop shaking, you're not letting me sleep!!!"

"I-It's-s n-not-t m-my f-fault-t!!!"

"But "Don't disrespect the dead" well now you're freezing your ass"

"_You know he was right to a certain point"_

"_Why are you speaking to me again? I don't need you"_

"_That's the problem my dear. Sometimes you need other people"_

"C-Could-d I-I hav-ve som-me b-blank-ket-t"

"No, even I have cold"

"_How can you be so cruel Toph?"_

"_Shut up"_

"B-But-t"

"_Common you now that it's pretty cold outside"_

"_But I don't wanna pass cold besides it is his problem for not wanting to take more things from that camp"_

"_Who said you needed to pass cold"_

"_Now you're speaking my language"_

"_If you share the same bed then …."_

"_WAIT A DAMN SECOND, YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE SLEEP TOGHETER???!!!"_

"_Well….yes"_

"_HELL NO!!!"_

"_But if you don't do it he will surely die for the cold"_

"_Hmp"_

"_I know you don't want him to die"_

"_No, but it is his problem"_

"_You can't be so bad, and besides he is Aang, what he can possibly do. He isn't the "perverted" type of guy"_

"T-Toph p-pleas-se"

"_Whatever"_

"Ok, there is plenty of space here twinkle toes"

"You mean there… with you?"

"You accept it or not?"

"Well…"

"Decide quickly"

"Ok"

He walked next to me and then he got inside the improvised bed giving his back to me although it was warm and big enough for the two of us something was odd. Since when I had that feeling? Since when he made me so nervous?

"Just don't do anything strange or you are dead. Undestood?"

"Yes"

"Night Toph" His back rubbed against mine

"Night" and secretly I blushed

_Aang POV_

I woke up in the middle of the night only to found myself in death danger againg. This was getting into a routine. Toph was so close to me and I couldn't move because an arm has grabbed me and it didn't let me go. The worse is that I didn't want to let go, for some reason she looked like that time back in the hot spring. My muscles grow stiff as my face showed a clear blush. Why in earth my hearth was pumping so hard?

"_It's because you like her"_

"_There you __go again! It isn't because of that, it is because I fear of my life"_

"_Excuses. The fear makes people to distance and yet you're so close to her right now"_

"_I know I'm so close and no, I don't like her¡¡"_

"_You're such an airhead like she says"_

"_Hey, I don't like her and that's the end of the talk"_

"_To me it seems the other way"_

"_How many times are you going to repeat yourself??"_

"_The necessaries"_

"_I have already told you that I don't like her like a million times, let me sleep!!!"_

"_Not until you confess"_

"_No, I don't like her"_

"_Yes you do"_

"_No"_

"_Yes"_

"_No¡¡"_

"_Yes"_

"_NO¡¡"_

"_Yes"_

"_YES I DO!!!" _ That last sentence almost made me choke _"Hold it; I just said that I liked her" _

"_Yes you did"_

"_I… like…. her"_

"_That's right"_

"_WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!!!!????"_

"_Well, you see when a boy is attracted to a girl then …."_

"_I KNOW THAT, BUT TOPH IS MY FRIEND!!!"_

"_Sure you want to be only her friend???"_

An odd silence occupied my mind as Toph accommodated herself at my side leaving her closer to me. Now that I think about it since the first day Toph seemed like a different type of girl to me, she was always funny, disposed and confident of herself. When she was around me the whole place felt lighter and it always comfortable even when she teased me. Now that I see it that way, I always looked for her company and I was always concerned for her safety. It wasn't strange; I did this with my other friends as well, didn't I? She always was there for supporting me as Sokka or Katara and she was concerned for me my other friends. Then what was different?

"_She needs you, that's the difference"_

"_She needs me? A lot of people do"_

"_No, she don't need you as the avatar"_

"_What?"_

"_She needs you as a friend, as a support, as a person"_

"_That's not true"_

"_You're so stubborn"_

"_No it's not like that. She needs me like a person but that's not the reason"_

"_Then what is it?"_

"_I don't know. I only know I need her, I seek for her; I ….love her"_

"_Told ya"_

* * *

_ I expect you like it and sorry for the grammar mistakes, I suck in grammar. I really do. _

_P.D. Eggroll, if you're reading this. How i,m supposed to contact you? Please answer cause im kind of new in this stuff and I'm pretty much lost in here. _


	7. Chapter 7

* * *

"N-No stay away Zuko, no I don't wanna do it, please. Stay away!!!"

"Hey Aang, are you ok?"

"No, don't, NO!"

"What's the problem with you??!!"

"NO, NO MY GOD!!!!"

"NOCK IT OFF!!!!"

"What, what is going on!!??"

"You were screaming the hell out of me and you didn't let me sleep!!!"

"Ah, yes it was only a nightmare." It was more like an affirmation to myself.

"And what type of nightmare makes you scream like a girl???"

It gave me goose bumps, I didn't want to remember the view of Zuko in a wedding dress and me getting married… with him.

"It was nothing, really."

"If you say so. By the way you really woke me up early." A yawn was heard

"Well, we will make a boat as we planed."

"Can't we make it a little latter???" Asked a sleepy Toph

"Ok, but only a quick nap, then we start to work."

"Yes, whatever, just let me catch some more sleep."

It was warm under this stolen blankets, I had to admit and it was too early for anyone to be up and it felt so good to have Toph sharing it with me. Suddenly the preview discussion with my "inner voice" popped into my mind. I liked her. I couldn't believe it at all, but there was something I felt towards her that told me otherwise, it was something like the thing I felt by being around Katara but some what different.

_Why do I like her?_  
****

**_Do you still wonder that?_**

_Sure, it is confusing._  
****

**_You don't need a why you only need a how. _**

_Maybe for you that is enough, but for me it is more than necessary to clear this thing out._  
****

**_It's because what that guru said about letting go the ones you love?_  
**

_Well, actually yes._  
****

**_You have to decide. Do you want to let her go?  
_**

_I was in that when you interrupted._  
****

**_If you had told me, I would have left. Is that what you want?_**

…_No._ He was the only one I had to talk about this issues  
****

**_Think what you like of her and then analyze what is the difference between your feelings._**

_Easier said than done, but anyways thanks for the advice._  
****

**_No problem I am here to serve. Later boy._**

Although it was uncomfortable the fact that he popped in the least proper moment, it was kinda a good help, especially this morning he was very polite for some reason.  
"I will sleep only five more minutes."  
What a good excuse to be around Toph without getting hurt or killed.

* * *

"What good sleep I got there." Toph said out loud, while she stretched her arms, still lying in the sandy beach. The sun warmed her face and the sound of the ocean was so beautiful that she just stayed there, enjoying the moment. But there was something missing. The boy that was at her side had left. She was alone now and she missed the sound of his voice and to have someone to talk. 

"Maybe I should look for him."  
****

**_Yes, maybe._**

Now the peace was interrupted as Toph get up in a blink of an eye.

"I told you to leave me alone!!"  
****

**_I am here to help my dear. _**

"I don't need your help!"  
****

**_Yes you do_**

"And exactly why do I need your help?!" She was screaming and annoyed  
****

**_To open up_**

"Why I would need that, I'm fine like this."  
****

**_If you don't want to end alone you need to let people understand you._**

"I do!"  
****

**_You let them scratch the surface, nothing more._**

"What do you now about me? Nothing!!!"  
****

**_I know more than you can tell._**

"Perfect, first, I hear a strange voice in my head, and now I'm discussing my personal affairs with it. That's it, I've became crazy."  
****

**_How many times have you told Aang you're happy, sad or even mad at something?_**

"Well…none" she knew she was right in that one; her feelings were always kept away from others. "But I think it's fairly obvious how I feel, most times." She hastily said as a response for her own answer  
****

**_Sometimes they need to be told in words. _**

"I know, is just that it's too hard to say."

"What's so hard to say Toph?"

"Oh, twinkle toes, um, nothing it's nothing." she started to swing her head in signal of denial.

Toph forgot that she was the only one that could hear that voice and that it was only in her mind so all that time she talked in loud voice her thoughts. A light blush appeared in her face and she was sure Aang saw it.

_Look what you just did, he must think I snapped!_  
****

**_It wasn't my idea to scream a non-existing person._**

"Ok, we should start making the boat now if we want to leave today."

"So, what do we do?"

"First we need some lumber, mind getting some?"

"No problem."

And she left to the forest the easiest and fastest way she could through the sand of the beach leaving Aang making some ropes with vines.  
****

**_You have to tell him how you feel inside. _**

_Maybe later, _a _thud_ was heard as a bended sharp rock cut through a tree and made it go down.  
****

**_As you wish, only remember what we talk._**

It was strange; yesterday the voice was like a different person; always joking and messing with her and now it was like if it was saying a goodbye.

_Whatever._

Another tree fell into the ground. It was very quiet without the jokes of the voice or even the presence of a human so there was no distractions and in a few minutes Toph was going back to the camp in the beach bending the earth under the logs to move them all the way.  
"Here they are Twinkle toes."

"Well now just lift them so I can tie them together."

That was pretty much easy. She lined together the logs and a platform was created under them leaving the sufficient space so Aang could pass a newly hand made rope trough them.

"Done, now what?"

Now Aang face was stuffed into the map in front of him

"Well according to this map, the nearest island is to the north. A 3 day distance…"

"3 Days, haw are we supposed to get there with this weak piece of boat!!!"

"You forget that you travel with me," He was after all the avatar "It will take us only one day if we hurry but anyways we will need supplies" And he rolled the map.

"OK you get some water and I will search for some snacks."

"Just don't bring something alive."

"Well, I'll just bring something already dead then."

"Ack, that's disgusting!" He put his hand in over his mouth like to prevent something to come out. It was disgusting, the image of something already dead and rotting.

"Just joking, just joking." She said as she punched him in the arm.

"That wasn't very nice."

"Yeah, but it was funny, at least for me."

"Whatever, just hurry up with those supplies." And both parted ways.

_Aang POV_

"Well Katara is understanding and caring; also she is beautiful, sweet, mature and self sufficient. But Toph is also self sufficient and beautiful also she is funny, brave and the bold things she says are amazing."

I was heading to the hot spring thinking about what I liked of each of the two girls.

"I could let go of Katara once, could I let go of Toph also? I wonder if one of them see me as something more than a friend."  
****

**_You will be surprised._**

"What do you mean?"  
****

**_One of them already has you as something more than a simple friend. Only that she doesn't it know yet._**

"Then how do you know?"  
****

**_It's a secret._**

"Can you tell me which one it is?"  
****

**_That's also a secret._**

"Hmp, whatever."

There was the old camp again and that creepy looking skeleton, still sitting in the chair and without his right arm. What I was thinking when I returned here? Well, I was already here so I had to take anything that could be used as a durable container.

"Calm your self Aang it's not like if he will jump alive again…..I expect"Hastily, I looked for a pot and leaved the camp at all speed.

**_Scared of a simple skeleton?_**

"Shut up, it is creepy"

Finally, after all he running there was the hot spring. There I found out a side of Toph I never saw, her girly and human side. Who could have told that she was also gentle and, sometimes, in need? I missed that cute and helpless Toph of the first 2 days, I liked the fact that she needed someone, that she needed me. I bended some water to the pot and closed it with a thin layer of ice so the water didn't go to waste and I could run with it in my hands, through that camp and that scary looking skeleton.

"Here I go."

And I ran the fastest I could but when I reached the sinister abandoned camp something stop me. Toph and the voice were right, it was only a skeleton, nothing more, but it looked so alive, even when he was dead too much time.

"Only dried bones nothing more Aang." I told to my self to calm my stress

"Who are you calling dried bones, young one!?"

"HOLY FLYING BISON!!!!!" I let go of the pot "A TALKING SKELETON!!!"

To the hell with the water, I just saw a living skull talking to me, the instinct told me to run.

"JA, JA, JA, JA!!!"

"_Hold it that sounds like…Toph"_ I took the pot again; thankfully the ice cover there was still water inside, and searched her behind the once talking skeleton. There she was, laughing uncontrollably in the floor and holding her stomach.  
"Hilarious Toph, now lets go."  
She stud up and whipped a tear from her eye

"Y-yeah, let's go before it talks again" and she laugh again, but no for so long.

_TOPH POV_

I felt a hand in my shoulder and the vibrations of Aang were pretty disturbed

"What it's now Aang? Saw a living dead man?" And I started to laugh again. It was so much fun to mess with his head and what was with that phrase. Holy flying bison, THAT was funny.But Aang kept looking towards me and pointing something.

"Well twinkle toes, let go of me." Why he was holding my shoulder so tight? "Twinkle…toes…"

"T-T-T-oph?"

"What?

_Hold a damn second, if he is right in front of me who the hell is holding me? It can't be right…_  
A shiver went down my spine as I "saw" what it was. The image was flurry at the beginning but then it started to clear. It was something pretty light and it missed an arm. Yes, it was the skeleton.

"HOLY CRAP!!!!!!"

The footsteps of Aang began to run towards the beach as I free my shoulder from the gasp of the dead.

"WAIT FOR ME YOU SISSY GIRL!!!!"

And we both ran the fastest we could towards the beach put the supplies in the boat, with a swift hit to the ground I earth bended the boat in the water and then we both hopped on it, then Aang made a current of water to drive us away from that crazy island.

"WHAT IN THE EARTH WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE??!!!!" I said pointing the island we left behind and standing up making with this the boat to swing in the waves.

"Calm down, I know it's freaky but you're going to fall from the boat!"

"IT WAS A FREAKING WALKING SKELETON!!!!" Then a wave made the boat to swing harder and me loose balance." WHOA!!" lucky me, I was falling of a boat second time in a week when a hand hold me in the middle of my fall and placed me inside the boat again. It was Aang who hold me in the last second and I fell into something soft.  
"Ouch."

"That was close."

"Hey, Toph, mind if you get off me?"

"Oh, yeah, right."

_AANG POV_

I grabbed her hand the fastest I could and dragged her into the boat again, but the sudden movements made me lose my balance and we both ended falling, me into the hard surface of the logs and she, well, she landed on my chest.

"Ouch."

"That was close."

"Hey, Toph, mind if you get off me?"

"Oh, yeah, right."

She blushed. In this little adventure we are having I have seen her plenty of times with a light red on her cheeks. She looked like a sweet girl although it was all the opposite. Another wave moved the raft as she was sitting and this time she got hold of my right arm. It didn't last long because she quickly let go of me but it felt good to know she trusted me with her life, you know getting on the top of this raft, in the beach and in the hot springs. She was happy now, at least more than the first 2 days and that made me joyful.

"That was pretty freaking scary!!"A shiver went down of my spine as I saw the image of the skeleton one again in my mind.

"Care to not talk about it?"

"It's odd, but I agree with you this time twinkle toes."

"Don't tell me you were also scared?"

"I wouldn't say scared, I rather say surprised."

"Then why'd you run even faster than me back there at the beach?"

"Ok, maybe I was a little freaked out. But nothing more." There she was, blushing again

"Hmm, that remembered the time you were covered in mud and we made Sokka think it was a lake monster…"

"And then he ran in circles screaming "PLEASE DON'T KILL ME" and placing Momo in front of him!!! That was so cool"

Toph was now more relaxed, we started to talk about all the pranks we did on Sokka and Katara and the time passed by remembering the good jokes and adventures, we continued talking even after the sun went down. Then we made a small pause to eat some snacks and to check the course. The atmosphere was suddenly quiet as I left the map, rolled, and tied to my sash. I was sure Toph was at my side and not in the water, I hope, but she was too calm to be the Toph I knew. Unexpected for me and slowly, her head rested in my shoulder, she said something mostly incomprehensible and then she finally fell sleep. I took advantage of the situation to caress her cheek and clear the hair that was covering her eyes. They were so beautiful; I didn't know the reason why they had to be kept hidden. She only cuddled more against me and shivered a little because of a cold ocean breeze. I air bended a blanket close and covered Toph with it. It was a clear night with stars and the ocean was calm, but in my mind, there was a storm. I had to make these hard decisions because I was the avatar and because it was the best for the world but it was just too hard and unfair for me. I had let go of Katara once but I couldn't let go of Toph this time.

_What I will do now?_

* * *

_Finally finish! it was hard to make this chapter, even if it is crappy and dont have a chapter name (i didn't thought a good one) __, hope it is of your liking and thanks eggroll for the help in the grammar, i think it will be easier to read this way. _


	8. Surprise

* * *

I woke up feeling warm, the warm of the sun; the warm of the girl next to me and still in that hard bed of wood and eyes closed I remained there, enjoying the moment, the sea breeze, the sound of the ocean waves, her tender hug, her smell of wet earth and grass and the sound of her breathing. Such a pleasant calm. Only Toph, the endless ocean and me. In that moment it was pointless to think about that the guru said, I just wanted to enjoy fully the instant.

The sing f the seagulls made me open the eyes and to be fully awaken and with the necessary care to not wake up the one resting in shoulder, I stood up to look into the horizon. We had been traveling all night and I review the map, assuring that the course was still right. Suddenly, at distance, an island started to appear out of the great mass of water, one island that was surely habited.

"Toph wake up." I rubbed her shoulder gently, the one that was been burned. I almost forgot that after the fight in the ship, the storm and spending 3 days in a deserted island had left our clothes pretty torn up.

"It's too early, only more five minutes." Then she rolled up more in the blanket and her breathing became softer and more peaceful.

"Ok, only a little more." I couldn't miss the chance to look at her once more, to watch her so softly sleeping.

After giving me the pleasure I had to continue, so I bended the water under us a little to gain speed and to lead us were no fire nation citizen could see us. I needed a new disguise because the ones that I was using were unable to hide my identity. Not every fire nation citizen had a blue arrow tattooed in the forehead, besides; it would be good if we had new clothes. In short time we reached the island and she was still sleeping but it was already time to wake up.

"Toph, we have arrived, wake up." feeling again the sensation of her soft bare shoulder against my hand sent me a shiver, a good feeling one.

"Um, what?" she stayed in her place ,sit and still covered with the blanket, half sleep and half wake up and rubbing her eyes with me kneeled at her side, smiling. I couldn't avoid it; she made me smile every now and then.

"It's time."

"Time?" Another shiver was felt as her pale green eyes looked to me. "For what?"

"Shopping time!" a larger grin replaced my previous shy smile.

"I will skip this time twinkle toes, you go without me."

"But we need clothes!" I knew from the beginning that she was going to refuse. But no one could blame me for trying

"Maybe for you, but I don't like "shopping time" or whatever it is." Toph crossed her arms and stuffed her nose in the air. "And how are you supposed to buy clothes? "_Hello, I'm the avatar, the number one most hated person in the fire nation. Could you give me some free stuff?_" It wouldn't be that easy airhead."

"But… Then what we are supposed to do?"

"That's easy. We will have to steal them." She was the one smiling now and had playful tone of voice. I didn't look forward to take other people things and she knew.

"Ok, if it is necessary."

"Then let's go out of this sandy beach and search for victims. I mean clothes!"

Now she was playing with me. I lead her out of the beach and into a small forest, lucky us, this island was almost all covered with forest, and after there she was the one guiding me, after all she could look farter and ovoid being found over by someone.

_TOPH POV_

Burp. "That was some good meal."

"And what a coincidence, there is a carnival in this time of year!"

"And that we have the money to enjoy it."

"Hmp."

"Oh, common, don't think about it too much, twinkle toes."

"But…it is stolen money."

"Just enjoy it."

**_Flash back _**

"There is, twinkle toes our ticket to pass unnoticed among killer fire benders."

"It is wrong, but if there is no other way…"

And he grabbed a jacket and a shirt that were hanging up a cord. Lucky for us, we didn't have to walk too much to find the so needed cloak. So I walked towards the hang up clothes to choose the one of my liking. A shoulder less shirt, one pair of pants, there was no need of shoes.

"Hurry up twinkle toes".

"I'm going, I'm going." He was putting a headband when his stomach grumbled followed for another coming from mine.

"Looks like we also need to find something to eat, some real food." I started to walk towards the forest again "Hurry someone is coming."

He followed and nobody noticed us. But we weren't safe at all. We hadn't walked into the forest more than 5 minutes when the problems appeared.

"Twinkle toes, I think were being followed"

"You think?"

"Yes."

"You can't see where they are?"

"No, they're jumping tree to tree."

"And what do we do?"

"Wait." Not much time passed as two thieves jumped in front of us.

"It is no safe for kids to be walking alone in the forest."

"Yes, nobody knows what could happen."

"You have some serious bad luck."

"What was that again, little girl?"

Little girl? That's it, they are officially dead.

"Let see who is the little girl!" And with an evil grin I earth bended a rock behind them without them even noticing.

"You will see!" They charged, bad idea.

"Your luck is over."

_Thump_ not even a slight sissy scream was heard as I knocked down the two with a single stone. After all, they asked for it.

"Let's go Toph, before anyone finds out we did it."

I approached at the first knocked corpse and searched in his pocket for some money.

"Empty." I whispered.

"Hey what are you doing Toph?"

"What do you think?"

"You're stealing their money!?" He start pulling his hair off and his hearth beat become very nervous.

"Hey, they stole it first!" And I start checking the second one

"Stealing clothes is one thing, but stealing other people money?!" He was seriously going to rip his hair off.

Found it "You know, you get to cranky about these things, don't you think?" And I showed the earned price in my right hand and a big smile in my face.  
"Whatever."

**_End of flash back _**

Now we were walking out a hotel (we needed a place to sleep and a warm bed was better than spending a cold night in the beach) into a street full of people chatting, smells and all kind of noises, too many noises.

"Hey, twinkle toes found anything fun?"

"You see that? He just fire bended a dragon! It was soo cool!"

"Nah, I've seen better." Obviously, it was full of sarcasm but he didn't even noticed, he was too entertained looking at all.

Maybe it was fun for Aang but for me, well, you guess. I have never been in a festival with my parents all over me and telling me it was something vulgar and for peasants and _because you're a blind helpless girl._..

"And what do we do?"

"What do you mean? There is a lot of fun stuff to do here, you almost sound as if you have never been in a carnival"

I remained quiet and continued walking at his side. It was true, I had never had a chance to sneak out to a festival in my hometown but he didn't have to know.

"You haven't?"

"Of course I have!"

"You haven't."

"Ok, I haven't, so what!?

"So what!? We have a lot of things to do!" He grabbed my hand and I blushed a little. It was annoying to blush for something as stupid as holding hands, then he dragged me along."First you need to catch goldfish, they're sneaky but the trick is in the wrist and then we will go to play all the games in the place, so you can enjoy fully the experience and maybe you could win something good and then to eat something, you aren't alive if you haven't tasted the sweet flavor of dragon tails!"

"Easy you're going to fast twin….Hold it, dragon tails?"

"Yes, it isn't real dragon tails. Can you imagine the problem to get only one!? No, it is bread stuffed with jelly of all flavors and covered with sugar. It's a special and secret recipe of fire nation bakers and it taste very good, specially when they are just come out of the oven and are warm"

Ok, that sounded good; maybe it wasn't so bad being stuck in an enemy island with him at my side.

_Aang POV _

"You can do it Toph."

"Come here, little gold fish, I will only… GOT YA!!"

There she goes again, getting all exited and ripping the net again. It was her "head on" character that made her miss all the times but what I could do she was like that.

"No, Toph, you have to look for the perfect moment and then catch it."

"I'm doing that, only the damn goldfish keeps escaping!!!"

"Told ya, the secret is in the wrist."

"If you're so good then you try!!"

I grabbed the just newly handed net and took an ultimate glace on Toph, She had her arms crossed and her foot was tapping the floor expectantly, she was sure I would miss, unluckily for her, this was a game were I was the best. First, I looked for the perfect fish, then I waited the perfect moment and slowly the net began to slide into the water and behind the fish with the proper caution so it went unnoticed by it. Then with a fluid movement, the fish ended in the net. Fish0 Aang1

"Yeah, I got it!"

"Hmp, I could do it if the net wasn't so fragile" and she turned around leaving me to talk with her back

"That's the point in this game Toph"

"Whatever"

"Well and what do you want?"

"Uh?"

"Yes, what price do you want?" She was the reason I went to catch goldfish and I wanted to give her the won price.

"Seriously?"

"Yes Toph, seriously."

"Whatever it is?" She said looking to the sir running the game

"Hmm, the fish your friend cached is pretty big so, yes lady, whatever you want."

"Then I would choose the badgermole."

It was a stuffed animal resembling a Badgermole like the ones we saw in that cave in the earth kingdom the only difference was that the one I won was like 30 cm tall and a lot, a LOT, more cute.

"There you go miss." She stuffed her face in the handed price only to swiftly take it away with a light red in her cheeks when she noted me watching her.

"What? I like badgermoles."

Toph looked cute hugging that stuffed badgermole and staring shyly at me. There was nothing to be shy about your likings but I definitely preferred the cute and timid looking Toph, only that I didn't had the proper words to tell her that she was pretty.

"No, it's nothing. Well, I suppose that is the last game, now it's time for some snacks."

"That dragon tails?"

"Yup" and I grabbed her hand again. For some reason I liked the felling of her soft and warm hand against mine so any excuse was good enough to grab it. I leaded her to the closest bakery. It was small but some what comfortable and it smelled like all the breads I could think, then I reached the counter after taking another quick glance at her holding her price before talking to the old and kind looking woman behind it.

"We want two dragon tails, please."

"I'm so sorry son, but there is only one left."

"Can I have it?"

"Ja, ja of course, there is no need to ask." and se went through a door behind the counter

"Thanks." I said when she returned with the so waited snack "How much it is?"

"This one goes by the house young one."

"Thanks a lot."

"No need to thank, just be sure to share with your good looking girlfriend."

"B-But, she isn't m-my …."

But she was already going once again behind the door and leaving me talking alone and hopping Toph didn't heard or it will end with a bakery destroyed, not caring for the kind looking old woman that was inside.

"There you go Toph, the so delicious dragon tail!" I handed it to her

"And yours?"

"That was the last one."

"Wanf shome?" A full-mouthed Toph offered

"Um, well, sure." I couldn't refuse taking a piece out of the tasty bread, only a small one, leaving her with more than enough to enjoy it. "And what do you want to do now?"

"We have been walking all day." she took a bite out of the bread and swallowed it "And I'm a little tired of all the noise."

"I think I saw the perfect place just a moment ago."

This time I took her wrist, because her two hands were busy holding the badgermole and the bread that resembled a dragon tail, and dragged her through the street and an alley that lead to a lonely, small and quiet square with a fountain in the middle and benches. Quiet and relaxing, just like she wanted.

"Perfect twinkle toes."  
And we sit, one beside the other, in a bench. She was hugging her stuffed badgermole, watching towards the fountain and eating. Me? I was looking at her.

_Toph POV _

It was surely one great thing this festival thing, maybe because there was all this fun stuff to so or maybe because Aang was with me. Whatever was the reason, I was happy I could enjoy both; the festival and being with him. I was also happy I had the chance to get the stuffed badgermole and to eat that dragon tail, it was delicious and it was a shame we only got one, only because it was so tasty I let go that "girlfriend" commentary. Any ways, the most important thing was that we were enjoying all, even sitting here was pleasant. Hearing the calming sound of water, the distant sound of the main street and resting my feet. All was great when a sudden breeze made me shiver, after all, it was late night and it was cold.

"Are you cold, Toph?"

"Just a little, it's nothing." Then another breeze made me shiver again and prove me wrong.

"Here, take it."

Suddenly my shoulders, arms and back felt warmer as Aang covered me with his jacket and I blushed again. Why when I was blushing so much? It was bothersome.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

"Awww, look at the two little sweet pumpkins." said a sarcastic and irritating third voice followed by the laugh of three more.

"Go away!" they ruined the moment and not to mention they were annoying.

"Or what? You will beat the crap out of us? JA!"

"You will see." I said in low voice and prepared to smack them between two rocks but a hand placed in my shoulder stopped me.

"No earth bending here Toph, or everyone will find us out."

"Just this time, I don't think they will care."

"What are you two pansies are arguing about? It is because of us interrupting your charming moment? " then the one talking cut the distance between us, leaving him not more than 2 meters away.

"Ok, they are annoying, but still you can't earth bend." he stood up "Excuse us, but we're leaving now." I just _saw_ him into the eyes and tighten my fist.

And both started to walk to the main street, me still wanting to beat them to a pulp, but Aang was right; we couldn't bend or we will end being hunted by the entire island until we were death or we could escape, and without a good boat or a flying bison there weren't many places we could go.

"Yes, run you sissy." Aang took fully the offense but didn't do anything. How could he ignore it? "Run with your midget, blind girlfriend!"

Maybe Aang could take it but I was different; now they were SOO death! I would smack them so much that even their own mothers couldn't recognize the bodies, but something stopped me. Like the last time it was Aang but it wasn't his hand. He moved forward and with a quick punch in the face of their leader, he brought him into the ground right away. Who could think that he was this strong?

"Anyone has more to say? No? Then we are leaving."

He grabbed my hand and led us into the main street again, leaving them with their jaws and eyes wide open. It was cool and somewhat charming of his part and there was no necessity to bend. He continued walking quiet until we reached the hotel.

"That really hurt."

"What?"

"That punch." and he hold his hand

"I think it hurt him more."

"Well, he deserved it." then we continued walking towards our rooms.

_Aang POV _

Finally a bed in which I could sleep. We were in front of our rooms and I was opening mine so I could rest after that busy day.

"Night Toph."

"Night and thanks."

"For what?"

"For defending me back there."

"It was nothing, really."

"Now that I thought about it, I never thanked you for all the good things you do."

"There is no need Toph, I'm j…" She leaned forward in her toes and so close to me that I could feel her breath in my neck and I froze. The close Toph were made me stiff as a tree and I wasn't able to speak more.

"Thanks, Aang." she whispered in my ear.

Her warm lips touched my cheek and I felt the blood rushing to my head and my hearth jumping. Then Toph ended the kiss as I slowly returned to reality. My hand touched the surface were her lips were placed and I was sure my face was a crimson red. She just kissed me and it was unbelievable. Although all I wanted to do was jump of joy or scream or run, or even say something, nothing came, I was frozen, like if with a movement, even the slightest, the feeling would be lost.

"Y-You just K-k-kissed me!!??" I managed to say, but for my surprise Toph was no more face to face with me, instead she was walking some steps in front of me and entering her bedroom, leaving me frozen in the hotel alley, watching her leave.

"She just kissed me." And still numb for the impression I entered my room and prepared to sleep. It was such a surprise, but it was a pleasant surprise.

* * *

So, how was it? I really want to know what are your suggestions so pls review. 

P.D: Happy halloween!! D  



End file.
